The family of a critically-ill transplant patient hoped their son might say he loved them when he emerged from an eight-day coma but instead demanded a KFC chicken burger meal.

June 29--Brave Sam Boughen, 26, suffers a rare genetic liver disease and was on the edge of death having undergone two life-saving transplants. Sam, a keen drummer, spent eight days in a coma after he contracted e. coli and a deadly lung disease as he battled to survive on life support.

But his family - who had maintained a 24 hour bedside vigil - were stunned when Sam opened his eyes and used an iPad to type out and ask for a KFC burger with gravy.

Sam's dad Martin, 53, said: "We had an app that meant he could write what he wanted to say.

"We all held our breath the first time he started writing. We thought he would tell us that he loved us - but instead he asked for a KFC. Then we knew we had Sam back."

Dad Martin gave Sam, from Glastonbury, in Somerset, 60 per cent of his own liver in January this year after the young dad was diagnosed with the genetic disease. But two days after he was discharged from hospital, Sam, who lives with fiance Saffron and daughter Lottie, began to feel unwell.

He was taken to Yeovil District Hospital and then transferred to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, where much of his post-surgery care had been carried out. But when his symptoms worsened, he was rushed back to Kings College Hospital in London.

Martin said: "We were told they thought there had been a clot. It turned out that an artery had been blocked and at that point we knew it was serious."

The blocked artery meant that Sam's new liver was not getting enough blood. Shortly afterwards, the family's worse fears were confirmed - Sam's new liver had failed.

Sam said: "Within hours, I was classed as critically ill. Twenty-four hours after that, I was on life support."

The musician went back onto the transplant list and his family were told to prepare themselves for the worst.

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